If you are currently in an city where locators are predominantly used by prospects, then it is in your best interest to establish a strong relationship with as many locators as possible. Locators are looking to accomplish two things: they want to find the ideal apartment for these prospects based upon the prospect’s interests and price range; they would also like to find the properties with reasonable locator referral percentage payout in return for their work of bringing prospects to the property. Locators will ask the main questions about the current price of an apartment community, as well as the amenities that the property offers to compare to what the prospect is looking for, but their final question will always be what the locator referral is.

With that being said if your property is neither the newest on the block, nor does it have the highest referral fee, then it is very crucial to establish a working relationship with these locators. Visiting the offices of the main locators to drop-off breakfast/lunch is definitely a good start to introduce yourself as a leasing agent. This in turn is a great lead-in into holding a locator open house to tour the property, so that way the locators are familiar with your product and will be able to personally tell these prospects what the property is like.

To push your property even more to the locators, purchase numerous 5×7 picture frames and in the picture portion of the frame insert a brief synopsis of your community’s information. This is something that the locators can have as a desk reference for your property that will be easily viewed by prospects right as they sit down at the locator’s desk. Prospects will be much more inclined to immediately ask about your property if it is the first thing they see when they meet with the locators.

Just as you are active in follow-up with your prospects, be just as active with locators. If they don’t accompany a prospect to tour your community, call the locator after the tour to let them know what the prospect thought and as to whether or not they leased. In the end the better relationship that is established with active locators in your city, the higher your chances are of receiving referral prospects from these locators.